Felt conditioning machine



March 17, 1936. C, HY MANTON 2,033,99@

FELT CONDITIONING MACHINE Filed Feb. 25, 1955 Im my* mmm mmm N mwPatented Mar. 17, 1936 UNITED STATE oFFlcF.v

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to an improved machine for conditioningfelt and similar material, the machine including a distributing valvefor 'distributing or feeding hot water at high pressure through numerousnozzles spaced at equal distances apart and a uniform distance from thesurface of the moving felt on the wet end of a paper making machine,thus cleaning and conditioning the felt for continuous use withoutremoving it from the machine.

The invention has for its essential purpose to provide a housing for thenumerous feed pipes extending from the valve to various nozzles, whichterminate at a uniform distance from the surface of the felt, the hotwater passing over the felt at all times, because the ports in the discvalve proper are so arranged that one port in the seat is always openwhile another is opening and another closing, which constructioneliminates the use of a shaft with a thread as well as a reversingmachine, which features are common in most paper making machines, andalso doing away with dragging the hose back and forth over the machineand hence save on repairs.

Another purpose is to provide a rotating disc valve for controlling theports in the valve seat, the tensioning means for the valve proper andthe pressure of water in the valve casing combining to retain the valveat all times securely closed against the valve seat while the valveproper is rotating.

In a machine of this kind it is possible to stop the valve substantiallyat any particular point that may be desired to allow the stream to bedirected substantially at one place.

It is to be understood that the particulars herein given are in no waylimitative, and that while still keeping within the scope of theinvention, any desired modification of details and proportions may bemade in the construction of the appliance according to circumstances.

The invention comprises further features and combination of parts to behereinafter set forth, shown in the drawing and claimed.

Figure 1 is a view in elevation, with the housing for the waterconducting tubes from the valve seat to the nozzles in section.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail sectional view through the valve and itscasing, showing a stuffing box, as wel'l as the water supply pipe to thevalve casing.

Figure 3 is a sectional view on line 3--3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view illustrating a modified structure in whichtwo rows of pipes are employed.

Referring to the drawing I identifies a base having an upstandingportion 2 at one end ter- 5 minating in a horizontal ledge 3. A plate 4has a horizontal foot 5, which is fastened at 6 to the ledge 3, therebysupporting the plate 4 in a. vertical position. The plate 4 above thefoot 5 is of circular formation, and centrally of the" 10 plate it isdished at 'l to cause a countersink valve seat 8 to be formed. Thecenter of the dished portion 1 of said plate has a bearing 9 for a shaftIll. Also the dished portion 'l of the plate is provided with aplurality of openings II ar- 15 ranged in circular formation. The valveI2 in the form of a disc is seated in the dished portion of the plateand is held tight against the valve seat. This valve I2 may beconstructed of any suitable metal, preferably monel, while the dishedplate may also be constructed of any suitable metal preferably bronze.The valve I2 is keyed or otherwise xed at I3 to the shaft III, and thenumerous openings II in the dished portion l of the plate have fixedtherein a plurality of 25 water conducting tubes i4. These tubes I4 haveright angle extending portions I5, which terminate in spray nozzles IS.The right angle extending portions I5 protrude downwardly, though notnecessarily.

Constituting a part of the dished portion l of the plate 4 is a shoulder55a which' is threaded and to which a tubular housing Il is connectedenclosing the numerous water conducting tubes I4. In addition toenclosing the tubes I4, the 35 tubular housing acts to hold the varioustubes and their portions I5 substantially rigid.

The valve I2 is provided with a pair of openings IB, which are so spacedas to register with two openings Il at one time.

A valve bonnet I9 is bolted at 20 to the plate and is provided with astung box 2|, through which the shaft It passes, there being acompression coil spring 22 surrounding the shaft I0 and interposedbetween the wall of the bonnet 45 and the valve I2, retaining the valvein water tight contact with its seat. A water inlet pipe 23 is threadedthrough the wall of the bonnet for conducting water into the valvechamber 24 of the bonnet. As the valve I2 rotates, the open- 50 ings I8registering with any two of the openings II water is permitted to leavethe chamber 24 and pass through any two of the pipes I4 in con secutiveorder, the water discharging from the spray nozzles and on the felt (notshown) as it 55 passes under the nozzles. However by stopping the shaftit is possible by rotating the graduated hand wheel 25 (which is mountedxedly on the shaft I Il) the valve may be set to register the twoopenings I8 in register with any two of the pipes I4, for the purpose ofdirecting a continuous spray at any one point on the felt.

Mounted on the base I are uprights 26 and 2l, in bearings 23 mountedthereon a shaft 29 is arranged. The upright 27 extends higher than theupright 26, and carried by this extended portion of said upright 2l is abearing 3B, in which the end portion of the shaft ID is mounted. Theshaft I0 carries a gear 3l, which meshes with a pinion 32 on the shaft29, which in turn carries a pulley 33, and to which pulley 33 a belt 34shown in dotted lines may be connected.

It is obvious that the belt 314 may receive power from any suitablesource (not shown) transmitting it to the pulley, thereby driving theshaft .29 and hence transmitting power to the shaft I0 through the gear3l and the pinion 32, in which event the valve l2 may be rotated withrelatively `low speed, the ports Il opening in consecutiveorder, so thatwater sprays may discharge from the nozzles and upon the felt.

The invention having been set forth, what is claimed is:

1. In a washing apparatus for cleansing a moving band of felt, thecombination with a valve casing having a valve seat provided with aplurality of openings in circular formation, of a plurality of waterconducting tubes iixecl at one end in said openings and having nozzlesat their opposite ends, said nozzles being serially arrangedtransversely across the felt and adapted to serially discharge againstsaid felt for washing the same, a housing for said tubes, a rotary valvein said casing engaging the valve seat and provided with a pair ofopenings adapted to register with the tubes two at a time, a Water inletpipe connected to the valve casing, tensioning means for the valve tohold it against the seat, and means operatively connected to andcontinuously rotating the disc valve.

2. In a washing apparatus for cleansing a moving band of felt, thecombination with a valve casing having a valve seat provided with a,plurality of openings in circular formation, of a plurality of waterconducting tubes xed at one end in said openings and having nozzles attheir opposite ends, a housing for said tubes, said nozzles beingserially arranged transverselyacross the felt and adapted to seriallydischarge against said felt for washing the same, a rotary valve in saidcasing engaging the valve seat and provided with a pair of openingsadapted to register with the tubes two at a time, a water inlet pipeconnected to the valve casing, tensioning means for the valve to hold itagainst the seat, and means operatively connected to and continuouslyrotating said valve, said housing being so arranged as to envelope saidtubes along the greater part of their length to prevent theirdisarrangement, said nozzles protruding exteriorly of the housing.

CHARLES H. MANTON.

